Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-23

| don't know what day It is; but guess I'm
starving"
"Nou unhappy mln!n she cried. "IGerc
sit down and eat my supper; and I'll just run
upstairs and see my patient, not but what
doubt she's fast asleep; for Maria is IA maludc
ilnagnaire,"
With this specimen of the French, not of
Stratford-attc-Bowc, but of a finishing estab-
lishmcnt in Moray place, she left John alone
in his fathers sanctum lie fell at once upon
the food: and it is to be supposed that Flora
had found her patient wakeful, and been de
tanned with some details of nursing, for he
had time to make IA full end Of ali there was
to eat, and not only to empty the teapot, but
to fill it again from kettle that was fitfully
singing on his fathers fire Then he sat tor
pid and pleased and bewidcred; his mis-
fortunes were then half forgotten his mind
considering, not without regret, this UNI
sentimental return to his old love.
He was thus engaged, when that bustling
woman noiselessly rc-entered.
"Have you eatenF' said she. "Then tell
me all about it
1t was long and las the reader knows n
pitiful story; but Flora heard it with com
pressed lips. She was lost in mono of those
uuestionings of human destiny that have
from time TO time arrested the flight of my
own pen, for women such as she are no phi
losophers, and behold the concrete only.
And women such as she are very hard on the
imperfect man.
every welln said she, when he had done,
"then down upon your knees at once and beg
Gods forgiveness
And the great baby pumped upon his
knees and did as he was bid, and none the
worse for that! But while he was heartily
| on onn
principles the rational side of him distin-
( guished and wondered if, perhaps the apo
ogy were not due upon the other part. Ana
! when he rose again from that becoming ex.
| ercise he first eyed the face of his old love
doubtfully, and then, taking heart, uttered
his protest.
II must say, Flora" said he lin all thi,
| business, | can see very little fault Of mine.
"If you had written home replied the
lady, "there would have been none of it, II
you had even gone to Murraytield reasonably
sober YOU would never have slept there, and
the worst would not have happened. Besides,
the whole thing began years ago You got
into trouble. and when your father, honest
man. was disappointed, you took the pet, or
| got afraid, and ran away from punishment
Well, you've had your own way of it, John,
and don't suppose you like it,"
81 sometimes fancy Pm not much better
than a FOOL sighed John.
"My dear John, she said, "not much.'
He looked at her, and his eye fell. \ Ger
tain anger rose within him; here was Flora
he di,owned: she was hard she was of ii set
color; settled, mature, unlccorative mar
nor; plain of speech; plain of habit-he had
come near saying plain of face. And thi,
changcling called herself by the same name
i as the many colored, Clnging maid of yore
she of the frequent laughter and the many
signs, and the kind stolen giance,. And tC
make all worse, she took the upper hano
with him, which, as John well knew, was not
> the true relation of the sexes. lie stcclc'
his heart against the sick nurse
And how do you come to he here b,
/ asked.
She told him how she had nursed hri
} father in his long illness, and when he did
and she was lief; alone had taken to nur,
others, partly from habit, partly 10 bc OF
some service in the world; partly, it might
2 hc. for amusement. There's no accoun'iu,
4 for TASTE" she said. And she told him how
p She went largely to the houses of old friend,
as the need arose; and how she was thu
, doubly welcome, as an old friend first, auo
then rs an experienced nurse, to whom doc
, | tors would coniide the graveSt cases
"And, indeed, it's mere farce my bcin.
/ here for poor Maria she continued; "bu
v your father takes her ailments to heart, an,
n | cannot always he refusing him. We ar
q great friends, your father and he was yer,
Y kind to Inc long aGo-teu years ago
I \ strange stir came in Johns heart Al
/ this while had he been thinking only Of him
$ sell: All this while, why had he not write,
= to Flora: In penitcntia! tenderness he tool
i her hand and, to his awe and trouble, it r.,
manned in his, compliant. a voice told hin
{ this was Flora. after all-told him soquictly
d yet with a thrill Of singing.
Y "Aud You never marrlcdN said he.
g "No, John; l never maGricd,' sine replied
The hail clock striking : recalled them t
a. the sense of time
n And now" said She, ''you have been f.
r and warmed, and | have heard your story
: and now it's high time to call your brother.
y "Oh," cried John, chapfalleu; do 20
O think that absolutely necessary
Il can't keep you here; | am "A stranger,
d said she. DO You want to run away again
is | thought you had enough of that
d He bowed his head under the reproof. Sh
10 deSpisod him, he reflected, as he 81; ono
IF more alone; II monStrous thing for woma
,e TO dcSpise man; and stranS st of all, sll
. seemed to like him. Would lis brothe
! ucSplSt NH, 100! anu WOull MS DIOJUg
Re like him!
le And presently tho brother appeared, undo
,e Floras escort; and, standing afar of beaid
ID the doorway, eyed the hero of this tale.
ID $50 this IS you" he said at length.
ir YES Ahck. it's me--its John.n reptile
the elder brother, ioohly.
h. "Anl how did you get in here" inquire
* the younger.
$, "Oh, had my pass key says John.
SO 1.-The deuce you had said Alexander AL
10 you lived in better world There are L
m pass keys going now
nd "Wcll, father was always aver,e to them
I'd sighed John.
And the conversation then broke dow
ID and the brothers looked askauce at one a
other in silence
#. "Well, and what the devil are we to do
he Slid Alexander II suppose if the authoriti
m got wind of You you would bc taken up"
,T at depends on whether they've found Il
nj body or Of returned john. And tn,